Means for softening water.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEOBGIBUCHNER, OF MUNICH, GERMANY.

MEANS FOR SOFTENING WATER.

1 162,024, No Drawing,

To all whom it may concern.-

Be 1t known that I, GEORG BUGHNER, citizen of Germany, residing at Munich, Bavaria, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Softening ater; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains'to make and use the same.

The 'application' of scientific means for softening water, by elimination of calcium and, magnesium salts, has hitherto been mainly confined to water'for industrial purposes,'more particularly boiler feed water.

The methods which are commonly adopted for these industrial purposes, such as addition of caustic lime, potash, soda, waterglass, barium salts, oxalates and the like,

are obviously not suitable for the treatment of water usedfor domesticablution, in view of the fact that these added substances, if used even in slight excess, have an injurious or unpleasant effect on the skin. r

The object of my invention is to provide means for softening so-called hard water,

which will'effectively eliminate the calciumand magnesium salts at ordinary temperatures, by converting same into insoluble compounds .'and an excess of which, resent in the softened 'water, will have no in urious effect on the skin." v v The soluble calcium andmagnesium salts referred to are capable of being converted into insoluble phosphates by reaction with alkaline phosphates,- but addition of the alkaline phosphates alone-"to water containing the highly diluted soluble salts does not result in effective or complete reaction, or

only does so after a considerable period.

The reaction can, however, as I have found,

be greatly accelerated by adding to the water, in addition to the alkaline-phosphates, a substance or substances adapted to precipitate the calcium and magnesium I Specification of Letters Patent.

' the like.

phosphates produced, and my invention con- Patented Nov. 30, 1915. Application filed October 16, 1913. Serial No. 795,543. I l

and their carbonates and phosphates, and

alkaline salts of boric acid, carbonic acid and also organic acids such as tartaric acid and These substances act on the calcium and magnesium phosphates, which are first produced in a colloidal state, and greatly accelerate the precipitation thereof; they also act favorably on the physical constitution of the said salts, and prevent the formation of coarse crystalline precipitates.

The composition of the admixture used will vary according to the proportion and 'form in which the hardening constituents are present in the water. The following are two specific examples a 1. 70 parts sodium phosphate, borax, 10 parts sodium carbonate.

2. 70 parts sodium phosphate, 20 parts borax, 10 parts calcium carbonate.

20 parts The mixture may be suitably colored and scented, and may be made up in the form of a powder, paste, tablet or solution.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A composition for softening Water comprising di-sodium phosphate in combination with substantially on-hydrolisable means adapted to precipitate calcium phosphates and magnesium phos hates from water.

2-. A composition or softening water com prising di-sodium' phos hate and borax.

In testimony whereo I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

eEoRe BUCHNER. Witnesses: 4

JOHANNA STERN,

RICHARD Lam. 

